Promulgating Programs: Month of Musicianship, Matching Grant Award, and the AEA Scholarship

by Dr. Nicholas Bratcher | Vice President for Programs, ΚΚΨ

Greetings, Brothers! I am both extremely humbled and excited to serve as your National Vice President for Programs this biennium. This past National Convention in Orlando was filled with amazing memories, lots of planning and meetings, and opportunities to meet and speak with many Brothers. I look forward to meeting even more new faces and hearing more stories over the coming months!

It is my goal that the programs and initiatives of our Fraternity will serve to bolster chapter performance which, in turn, will help to develop and/or supplement a positive relationship for college chapters, band directors, and the college band program, respectively. I believe that the more chapters engage in our programs and initiatives, the stronger Kappa Kappa Psi will grow as a whole due to each chapter striving for their highest potential each and every biennium. One of my duties as Vice President for Programs, as outlined in the National Constitution, is to “promote and publicize the national programs of the Fraternity to the membership and the outside community.” Therefore, I wanted to make our Brotherhood aware of a few key programs coming up in the next few months, how you can participate (seriously, plan now), and some BIG changes to one of our key initiatives.

Month of Musicianship/Matching Grant Award

As a college band director, the Month of Musicianship is near and dear to me. The Mission and Purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi directly reflect our goal of celebrating music in college bands. While the intent is to focus on this goal, the Kappa Kappa Psi Month of Musicianship each November provides a special outlet for celebration. During the month of November, I challenge ALL chapters to find ways to share our love of music with others. Go as a group to a concert or volunteer to help an ensemble you do not usually support. Usher a concert, organize a reading band, or set up a lab band for music majors to practice conducting. Consider reaching out beyond your university to support a local high school or community band. Plan a “conduct-us” (with your college band director’s help) so that non-music students and faculty can experience being a conductor if only for a few seconds during the day. Gather up (and prepare) a small jazz combo to provide music to local businesses or organizations in the community. The opportunities are only limited by your imagination and resolve. Plan now, and be sure to document your activities with photos and write-ups (perhaps for an article in THE PODIUM or the PODIUM ONLINE)! If you post on social media, be sure to use the hashtag, #monthofmusicianship. Throughout the month of November, we’d like to post some of your projects on the Kappa Kappa Psi Facebook and Twitter pages, so that other chapters can exchange ideas and make the most of their month of musicianship experience. Don’t hesitate…plan now!

Another great initiative that Kappa Kappa Psi provides is our Matching Grant Award. One of the main goals of the Matching Grant Award is to provide financial support for obtaining guest conductors and performing artists for college and university concert bands. Applying for a Matching Grant Award is perfect to help chapters bring in that guest artist or conductor (maybe in November for the Month of Musicianship).

The basic criteria for the Matching Grant award is thus:

1. The funded project will include at least one public performance by one or more of the college/university concert bands featuring the guest conductor(s) and/or performing artist(s).

2. The funded project will be student-centered, with a clear focus to the improvement of teaching and learning through workshops, master classes, and/or clinics provided by the guest conductor(s) and/or performing artist(s).

3. The funded project will clearly demonstrate the standard of excellence and musical achievements of the guest conductor(s) and/or performing artist(s).

4. Kappa Kappa Psi will be acknowledged as a sponsor on promotional materials for the funded project, e.g., Kappa Kappa Psi will be listed on the program of the public performance.

Awards for this “reimbursable” grant program range up to $500, and any band director at any college or university in the United States can apply. For more information about the Month of Musicianship and the Matching Grant Award, visit www.kkpsi.org. I can’t wait to hear about all the wonderful things our chapters are planning!

AEA Scholarship

This past summer, six (6) students from the more than 6,000 members of the fraternity were recognized as AEA Scholars! On behalf of the National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi, it is my privilege to announce the following AEA Scholarship recipients:

1. Ife Campbell (Nu Omicron – University of New Haven)

2. Kayla Chadwick (Zeta Beta – Howard Payne University)

3. Alexander Monreal (Beta Kappa – Bowling Green State University)

4. Blake Simony (Iota Kappa – Boise State University)

5. Jennifer Stephenson (Epsilon Epsilon – Southwestern Oklahoma State University)

6. Jasmin White (Nu Beta – Texas Wesleyan University)

Congratulations to each of these Brothers for their accomplishments!

Since 2000, the AEA Scholarship has been awarded to those students who strive for the highest in everything they do. Being in a fraternity requires a substantial time commitment. In addition, Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi participate in a wide variety of musical ensembles and service projects. Kappa Kappa Psi recognizes the role extracurricular activities provide for college students and recognizes the importance of academic excellence. The AEA Scholarship recognizes Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi who possess excellent leadership skills, academic excellence, and quality musicianship in their university bands.

Traditionally, the AEA Scholarship program has awarded up to $1,000 per recipient for education expenses twice a year. During the 2017 National Convention, the National Council was charged with increasing the potential amount for this award. Based on that charge, the National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi recently voted to split the AEA Scholarship into two distinct tiers: the “AEA Honored Scholars” and the “AEA Distinguished Scholars”.

The “AEA Honored Scholars” will essentially hold the same criteria and award range as the traditional AEA Scholarship. Each candidate must be an active or associate brother in good standing at the time of application; hold at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale; and submit the application and required documents prior to the deadline (Spring deadline: January 1; Fall deadline: July 1). An AEA Honored Scholar can be awarded up to $1000.

The “AEA Distinguished Scholars” will be a higher tier of the AEA Scholarship. The candidate must be an active or associate brother in good standing at the time of application; hold at least a 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale; and submit the application and required documents prior to the deadline (Spring deadline: January 1; Fall deadline: July 1). An AEA Distinguished Scholar can be awarded up to $2000.

For more information on the AEA scholarship, please visit www.kkpsi.org, and be on the look out for more announcements for these, and other programs, awards, and initiatives from the National Council.